When I was a little girl and about to turn 7, I had long hair tied in ribbons and wore dresses a lot of the time. But my birthday wishes weren’t visions of Barbie dolls and My Little Ponies. Instead, all I wanted was to go to a baseball game, a wish that came true when I was taken to a game where the Red Sox played the Athletics. To date myself a bit, it was the year Ted Williams retired and the roster included well-known names like Jerry Remy, Wade Boggs, Jim Rice and Dwight Evans. That season, they weren’t No. 1, or even second, but in my opinion, it was a magical year and the year I fell in love with baseball.

Since then, I have been a Red Sox trivia junkie. No “pink hat” here! I’ll go up against anyone who thinks they know his stuff. Think you can hang? Let’s see. No phone-lookup cheating, now.

  1. What are the retired numbers hanging in Fenway Park, and who did they belong to?
  2. Where did the Red Sox play baseball before Fenway Park was built in 1911?
  3. What was the date of the first game played at Fenway Park?
  4. If a ball bounces into the bullpen, what is the call?
  5. What were the Red Sox called before they adopted their current team name?
  6. How many Red Sox players have been inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, and who was the last player inducted?
  7. To date, who holds the Red Sox record for most career “at-bats” and most career games played?
  8. What is currently the Red Sox record to beat for most hits in a game?
  9. How many Major League records did the Red Sox break in 2003?
  10. What do Babe Ruth, Wade Boggs, Roger Clemens, Johnny Damon and Kevin Youkilis all have in common?
  11. How many Red Sox players have hit two consecutive grand slams in one game?
  12. Which Red Sox pitcher is famous for his “bloody sock”?
  13. Who is the oldest surviving former Red Sox player?
  14. Bonus Question: Who is the youngest player ever to start in the post-season with the Red Sox?

Answers:
(1) Ted Williams (9), Joe Cronin (4), Bobby Doerr (1), Carl Yastrzemski (8), Jackie Robinson (42), Carlton Fisk (27), Johnny Pesky (6) and Jim Rice (14). (2) The Huntington Avenue Baseball Grounds. (3) April 20, 1912. (4) Ground Rule Double. (5) The Americans. (6) 34 players, Pedro Martinez most recently. (7) Carl Yastrzemski. (8) Six hits. The record is currently held by Jimmy Piersall, Pete Runnels, Jerry Remy and Nomar Garciaparra. (9) Ten. (10) They were all Red Sox players who went to the Yankees organization. (11) Four – Jim Tabor in 1939, Rudy York in 1946, Nomar Garciaparra in 1999 and Bill Mueller in 2003. (12) Curt Schilling. The sock sold for more than $92,000 at auction. (13) Bobby Doerr – 97 (April 7, 1918). (Bonus Question) In 2013, Xander Bogaerts became the youngest starter to play with the team in the post-season since Babe Ruth. Bogaerts was 21 years and 16 days old. Babe Ruth was almost 22.

By Jennifer Russo